Maple Shortbread Cookies

This easy recipe results in melt-in-your-mouth, delicious shortbread cookies infused with a rich maple flavor. Makes about 1½ dozen cookies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings cookies

Calories 99kcal

Author Amee

In a large bowl, beat butter and maple sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth
Beat in yolk until fully incorporated
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat for about 20 seconds, until a smooth dough comes together
Pat dough on the counter to form a 1x2x7 inch brick
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours, until completely chilled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Use a sharp knife to cut half the dough into 1/4 inch slices
Refrigerate remaining dough
Arrange slices on the baking sheet, spacing them generously
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if using, per cookie
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned
Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely
Repeat with remaining dough

Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. If you scoop it directly from the container with the measuring cup, you’ll end up with too much and a dry, dense dough.

Don’t overmix the dough. After adding the flour mixture to the butter mixture, only beat until the dough comes together. Overmixing can cause the cookies to become tough and overly dense. Shortbread should be crumbly and tender.

Don’t skip chilling your dough. Doing so helps it firm up, which makes it easier to slice and prevents the cookies from spreading too much. Aim for 4 hours minimum, or chill the dough overnight and bake the cookies the next day.

Spacing is key. When arranging the dough slices on the baking sheet, leave about 2 inches of space between each. This allows the cookies to bake evenly and prevents them from merging into each other.

Shortbread cookies are done when slightly soft in the middle and the edges are lightly golden. If overbaked, shortbread can quickly turn as hard as a rock. I suggest checking them around the 8-minute mark.